Rikkyo School-in-England

Inspection of Rikkyo School-in-England Guildford Road, Rudgwick, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 3BE

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Sixth-form provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school follows the Japanese national curriculum. The curriculum is demanding and rigorous. It is supplemented by lessons in English and ‘English communication’ to ensure breadth and balance. Content is well considered to build sequentially over time. The enrichment curriculum offers countless opportunities to appreciate British culture, language and lifestyles.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take part in a range of sports from basketball and tennis to paddleboarding. They enjoy trips to the theatre and such great British institutions as Wimbledon, the Houses of Parliament and Cambridge University. They honour Japanese cultural events such as martial arts, asymmetric flower arranging and the tea ceremony.

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What is it like to attend this school?

These activities deepen pupils’ understanding of respect and tolerance, supported by assemblies and worship. They allow pupils to develop their leadership skills while contributing to the school and local community. Pupils know how to look after themselves, physically and mentally.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ knowledge of diversity and sexual relationships is still developing. They are respectful and kind. Behaviour and attitudes are strong across the school. Expectations are high. Relationships are supportive. Pupils say that rare instances of bullying are quickly resolved. As a result, they feel happy, safe and well looked after.

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better?

The curriculum offers pupils experiences in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, social, physical and creative education. The curriculum, which follows the Japanese national curriculum, is ambitious and demanding. The range of subjects studied is comparable to the scope and richness of the national curriculum. There is a focus on ensuring that pupils achieve appropriate qualifications to enable them to study further.

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better?

The curriculum on offer at the school extends beyond the academic by providing a rich and varied range of exciting additional opportunities for all pupils. These activities include plentiful opportunities for students to demonstrate and develop their leadership skills. They learn how to be responsible, respectful, active citizens who can contribute positively to society.

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better?

The school develops and deepens pupils’ understanding of mutual respect and tolerance through assemblies following themes from the Anglican calendar of worship. Pupils know how to eat healthily, maintain an active lifestyle and keep physically and mentally healthy through social studies, social sciences and ethics lessons. The school provides frequent opportunities for pupils’ social and cultural development through educational links with local and national schools.

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better?

In the sixth form, the curriculum is planned and sequenced towards knowledge and skills for future study. Sixth-form students’ attitudes to their education are positive. 18 to 20 October 2022 Sixth-form leaders have ensured the curriculum is adapted to support university entrance. In this respect, the school is phenomenally successful. Almost all students proceed to universities of their choice in Japan and, increasingly, in the United Kingdom.

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better?

Teachers’ subject knowledge is very strong. They use this knowledge well to teach their subject. Teachers check pupils’ understanding systematically, identify misconceptions and provide clear, direct feedback. Opportunities to explore links with other subjects are often missed. Literacy across the curriculum is more evident. Pupils are encouraged to read, and the school has a large library. There is currently no facility to diagnose and plan for pupils with dyslexia. As a result, some pupils have difficulties developing their English language skills.

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better?

Lesson planning ensures that content builds on earlier work. It is then revisited to help pupils to develop their skills and deepen their knowledge. Relationships between staff and pupils are incredibly supportive. Purposeful assessment is used to adapt future teaching plans. Pupils are well known, and their progress is tracked termly. The school regularly provides parents with detailed progress reports.

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better?

Compulsory relationships education is provided for all primary-age pupils, meeting statutory requirements. Relationships and sex education (RSE) for secondary pupils is not covered in sufficient detail. The school has not given due regard to the statutory guidance on RSE. A policy document is in place but there has been no consultation with parents. The school cites cultural sensitivity for the delay in implementation.

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better?

Pupils are not provided with age-appropriate knowledge of sexual relationships and protected characteristics. This limits their understanding of what it is like to live in a diverse society. These topics feature clearly in the school’s RSE curriculum and throughout the Japanese textbooks used. The school has the capacity, expertise and willingness to address this shortfall.

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better?

Leaders know the school well. They are determined that pupils will succeed. They understand their roles and responsibilities. However, they have not been robust in ensuring that policies are up to date and quality assured. By the end of the inspection, the vast majority of the independent school standards were met. Beneficial safeguarding, first-aid and fire warden training have been provided for all staff. Provision of subject-specific training is less evident.

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better?

The school enjoys exceptional relationships with members of the local community, who are frequently invited to enjoy Japanese traditions and hospitality. Parents and carers are particularly positive about the school. The vast majority said they would recommend the school. They valued the good spread of subjects and the extensive range of clubs and activities. All parents responding to the survey said their child felt safe at school.

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better?

Pupil and staff responses to their questionnaires were not so unanimously positive. Pupils raised concerns about careers information and university entrance. A small 18 to 20 October 2022 number were worried about the possibility of intruders on the school site. Staff raised concerns about their well-being and workload. Staff who spoke with inspectors said that some staff had much heavier workloads than others. A few staff expressed concerns about long hours and poor management.

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better?

Trustees are well meaning and well intentioned. They actively support the school through charitable contributions and financial donations. However, they do not fully hold leaders to account for the quality of their work. The safeguarding trustee raised the matter of out-of-date policies some months previously. Trustees do not challenge leaders to meet their statutory obligations enough.

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better?

Trustees and leaders have not ensured that all the independent school standards are met securely and consistently.

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better?

The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is a high priority for leaders and staff. All staff receive regular training in how to identify risks and what to do if they have any concerns. Leaders conduct appropriate checks on staff to make sure they are safe to work with children.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are confident that there is a member of staff available who will listen and act if they have any concerns. They can identify potential risks to themselves and others. They know how to keep safe, including when online.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding policy is published on the school’s website and reflects current statutory guidance.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Leaders have not ensured that quality assurance practices are sufficiently rigorous. Trustees have not ensured that the school fulfils its statutory duties. As a result, school policies are not being updated in a timely manner, and independent school standards regarding the RSE programme are not being met. Leaders should ensure that they consult with registered parents about the RSE policy, and trustees should meet their obligations regarding statutory requirements.  Compulsory RSE for secondary-age pupils is not covered in sufficient detail or depth. As a result, pupils do not have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships and protected characteristics. Leaders, supported by trustees, should ensure that the content of the RSE curriculum is provided for all pupils, taking advantage of the staff expertise and textbook resources available to the school. 18 to 20 October 2022

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 18 to 20 October 2022

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School details

Unique reference number 126132 DfE registration number 938/6188

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School details

Inspection number 10243454 Type of school Other Independent School

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School details

School category Independent boarding school

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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form

Proprietor Rikkyo School in England Trust

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form

Annual fees (day pupils) £25,200 to £28,800

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form

Email address moorhead.rikkyo@yahoo.co.uk

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form

Date of previous inspection 26 to 28 June 2018 18 to 20 October 2022

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Information about this school

 Rikkyo School-in-England is a co-educational Anglican Christian independent boarding school situated in Rudgwick RH12 3BE. The school exists primarily to serve the needs of children of Japanese families living and working abroad.  The school was founded in June 1972 and is part of the Rikkyo School-in-England Trust. It is registered for up to 205 pupils aged from 10 to 18 years old. At the time of the inspection there were 183 pupils enrolled.  The school teaches the Japanese national curriculum. It aims to provide a high- quality education which will enable pupils to achieve their ambitions of securing a place in high-ranking universities in Japan and other parts of the world.  The boarding provision was last inspected in October 2019. It was not inspected on this occasion.  No pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities.  The school uses a registered sixth-form provider for six students under a ‘Friendly

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Information about this school

Cooperation Agreement’. The placement is intended to allow students to better familiarise themselves with the British education system.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about this inspection

The school has failed to meet the independent school standards. These are the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors conducted deep dives in English, mathematics, history and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, talked with teachers, spoke to pupils and looked at examples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors held meetings with leaders, staff and pupils. They reviewed the single central record and considered a range of safeguarding documents, including employment checks on staff.  Inspectors considered a range of evidence, including school policies and procedures, to check compliance with the independent school standards.  The lead inspector spoke with the president of the trustees and two other trustees online. He also reviewed the minutes of the trustee meetings.

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Information about this inspection

18 to 20 October 2022  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey of parents’ views and the additional written comments provided by parents. They reviewed the survey returns and responses to the online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Paul Metcalf, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Alan Johnson Ofsted Inspector 18 to 20 October 2022

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2A(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor-

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2A(1)(f) consults parents of registered pupils at the school before making or revising a statement under sub-paragraph (e).

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school-

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently;

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently. 18 to 20 October 2022 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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